Air valve



- Patented June 13, 1939 AIR VALVE William i7. Groeniger, Columbus, Qhio, assignor to John B. Pierce Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York I Application February 13,193'7, Serial No. 125,611

6 Claims. (01. 137-69 My present invention relates to valves, and more particularly to improved automatic valves especially adapted to control the inflow of airto fluid conveying piping upon the tendency for a vacuum to form within the piping.

My invention is applicable as a plumbing fit-. ting in a variety of situations, but has been designed particularly as an adjunct in a water supply system. When thus used, it prevents the establishment of a siphon in the water supply system, upon reduction of pressure therein from any cause. Its use prevents the possible redrawing into the system of water which has once passed out of the system.

' The invention when used as a means for preventing the estabiishment'of a siphon in a water supply system, as'above described, is preferably inserted in a feed line of the water supply system, and in advance of the entrance end of a receptacle which receives its supply of water from the water supply system.

In a water supply system, supplying water to a receptacle or. other container, there is always the possibility oi'water which has once been delivered from the supply system of being re-drawn into the watersupply system'upon a reduction oi pressure or theestabiishment' of a vacuum in the water supply system, unless the receptacle is physically disassociated from the water supply system. As physical dis'association is in many instances impractical, the device of my present invention servesas means, which will insure that no water can be r'e-drawn from the receptacle into the water supply system under any circumstances, by dissipation of the vacuum. f

A primary purpose of my invention, therefore, is to-provide an improved combined air break and check valve.

Another purpose of'my invention is to providean improved means for air venting, such means including 'a. valve elements, preferably biased under gravity, coordinated with an air vent means for ailording how of liquid under normal conditions withoutleakage through'the 5 air vent and for effecting, when there is a tendency toward creation of avacuum in the liquid supply system, air venting for preventing a vacuum from forming.

In the accompanying drawing: 6 'Fig. 1 is a view in'sectional elevation of a structure embodying my present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view insection taken on" the line 2-4, of Fi '1. 7 Referring to the drawing, Ill designates a valve 65 body which is provided with an inlet end ll connecting with a chamber 12 in the interior of the body, and with an exit end. l3 connecting with a discharge passage l4, leading to chamber i5 which may be formed as a lateral Y, or extension I6 of the body. 5 The chamber I2 in the body I0 may be curved,

as illustrated in Fig. .l, the curvature may be approximately a semi-circle terminating in a discharge portion I] which opens into a chamarranged lugs or ears 22, which may be formed integrally with the body of the valve i0, and'located in a recess ttformed in such body.

The structure shown in the drawing is adapted to have its entrance end ii connected to a water supply system, and to have its exit end l3 con- 25 nected to a pipe leading toa receptacle, or directly connected to the receptacle. Accordingly, upon flow of water from the water supply system downwardly through the inlet l2, thence through the chamber i2and its extension ll, 30

the iiap valve 20 is displaced, affording flow of the water into and through the chambers l5, II and thence through the outlet i3.

As is noted, upon an inspection of Fig. 1, the.

annular face of the valve seat l9 lies at an angle to'the vertical, and by reason of the flap valve 20 beingpivotally mounted at the upper end, the flap valve "is biased under gravity to be in engagement with the valve seat l9, unless displaced therefrom by the flow of water 40 through the valve body ill, or possibly because of the non-functioning of the flap valve 20, or other abnormal cause. Therefore, upon cessation of flow of water through the valve, the valve f 20' normally isv in stated relationship with its valve seat IS.

The lateral extension 16 at its upper end is open and is arranged to receive a vented cover plate 2:.

The venting of the cover plate '24 is shown as an inlet passage 25. The function of such ventin assage 25 is to aiford flow of air into the i5 and thus to the chamber l4, under 11s, and under abnormal condimber l2, as appears more fully hereinafter. Because of the location of the air inlet passage 25, I have provided the same with a hood 21, the open end 28 of which is lowerly positioned to prevent the possibility'of dropping of extraneous matter into the interior of the chamber l5.

Associated with such vent opening 25 is a valveseat 26 and a valve 29. Such valve 29 may be articulatively carried by valve 20, as by pivotal mounting the same thereon. Such pivotal mounting may comprise parallelly arranged lugs, or ears 30, which may be formed integral with the valve 20, such ears carrying a shaft 3| on which is mounted a member 32, which may carry the valve 29. The member 32-has formed integral therewith or otherwise provided with a lateral extension or foot 33, which normally serves to hold the valve 29 in position to be brought into operative association with its valve seat 26, upon displacement of the valve 2|] under condition of flow of water through the chamber l2.

When the valve 20, as above set out, engages its valve seat I9, the valve 29 is out of engagement with its valve seat 26, which status of position is shown in Fig. l, in full lines. When, however, water is flowing through the valve body l0, displacing the valve 20, and into and through the chambers l5 and I4 and out through the exit end IS, the valve 20 is rotated about its shaft 2|, from its full line position shown in Fig. 1

to its dot-and-dash position shown in Fig. 1,

under which condition the valve 29 is brought in engagement. with its valve seat 26.

Under such condition of flow of water ingress of air through the air inlet 25 is precluded and leakage of water through the air vent passage 25 is prevented.

Under abnormal conditions, as for example in the circumstances of a vacuum or negative pressure set up in the water supply system, under which latter circumstance there arises the grave danger of water from the receptacle into which it has flowed, being siphoned back into.-

. of water through the valve body, such defective condition will be made manifest to an observer, by the leakage of water through the vent opening 28.

The chamber l2, by reason of its preferred curved formation, directs flow at substantially right angles to that face of flap valve 20 which is disposed adjacent the seat l9, when such flap valve is seated. The valve 29 extendsfrolm its mounting on flap valve 20 into the general vicinity of its valve seat 26. The distance of extension determines the degree of maximum opening available to flap valve 20. For attaining tight closure of air inlet 25, the distance of extension is such that, when valve 29 is seated, the

passage, a valve seat associated with said air' inlet means and a. valve articulatively mounted on said flap valve for cooperating with the lastnamed valve seat to close said air inlet means under normal flow of liquid through .said passage and to afford inflow of air to said passage under condition of sub-atmospheric pressure therein.

2. In an improved valve with back pressure control, the combina-m of a valve body having a passage extending tnerethrough, a valve seat in said passage intermediate the ends thereof and lying at an angle to the direction of flow through said passage, a pivotally mounted flap check valve cooperating with said valve seat and normally engaging with said valve seat, said valve being rotatable on its pivot to permit flow of liquid through the passage in one direction only, air inlet means having a valve seat formed at its inner end, receiving means extending from that face of said fiap check valve which is opposite to the seating face thereof, a valve pivotally mounted on said receiving means for cooperating with said valve seat at the inner end of said air inlet means to prevent flow of air into the passageway when said flap valve permits flow of liquid through the passage and to afiord flow of air into said valve body under condition of sub-atmospheric pressure therein, and means for maintaining said valve, which valve is pivotally mounted on said receiving means, in predetermined articulative placement relative to said flap check valve.

3. A valve comprising a valve body provided with a passage therethrough, a valve seat formed within said passage, a flap check valve pivoted within said passage for normally seating against said valve seat by the force of gravity, the por-v tion of said passage leading to said valve seat being arranged to direct flow substantially perpendicularly to the adjacent face of said check valve as normally seated, an air inlet leading into said passage, valve seating means disposed about said air inlet, and valve means secured to and carried by said check valve, said valve means having a valve member extending .into the vicinity.of said valve seating means for seating thereagainst to close said air inlet when said check valve is unseated, said valve member extending a distance such that when seated said adjacent face of the check valve remains substantially within the direct line of discharge from the portion of said passage which leads to said valve seat.

4. A valve as set forth in claim 3 wherein the stated valve member is articulatively mounted on the .flap valve.

5. A valve comprising a valve body, an inflow passage of approximately semi-circular configuration formed with in said valve body, a valve seat formed about the'discharge end of said inflow passage,. a flap valve pivoted within said passage for normally seating against said valve aioaovi seat by the force of gravity, the portion of said passage leading to said valve seat being arranged to direct flow substantially perpendicularly to the adjacent face of said check valve as normaliy seated, an air inlet leading into said passage; valve seating means disposed about said air inlet, and valve means secured to and carried by said check valve, said valve means having a valve member extending into the vicinity of said valve seating means for seating thereagainst to close said air inlet when said check valve is unseated, said valve member extending a distance such that when seated said adjacent face of the check valve remains substantially within the direct line of discharge from the discharge end 01' said inflow passage.

6. A valve comprising a valve body provided with a passage therethrough, a valve seat formed within said passage, a check valve disposed withsaid valve seat.

in said passage for normally-seating against said valve seat by the force of gravity, the portion of said passage leading to said valve seat being atranged to direct flow substantially perpendicularly to the adjacent iaoe of said flap check valvesed about said air inlet, and valve means articuiatively secured j to and carried by said flap check valve, said valve means having a valve member extending into the vicinity of said valve seating means for seating-thereagainst to close said air inlet when said flap check valve is unseated,;said valve member extending a distance such that when seated said adjacent face oi the flap check valve remains substantially within the direct line of discharge from the portion of said passage which leads to 

